Matt Doherty had dreams, too.

They included visions of a New York basketball community that rallied behind the St. John’s program. It came replete with a national championship and a parade through the Canyon of Heroes.

“I see St. John’s as a place with infinite possibilities and I am disappointed that I won’t have the chance to lead it back to the elite,” Doherty said. “I could have another coaching job right now, but I wanted to be at St. John’s. It was a good fit and has all kinds of potential to be something spectacular.”

Doherty, who spent seven years as a Kansas assistant under Roy Williams (1993-99), said he would not begrudge Norm Roberts as the choice.

The former North Carolina and Notre Dame coach was so impressed with Roberts that he tried to hire him to be an assistant coach for the Fighting Irish.

During the agonizingly long search for a new coach at St. John’s, Doherty spent a lot of time as the presumed leader. He felt confident enough about his chances to turn down James Madison’s job offer. And his candidacy had the influential backing of the basketball program’s biggest financial boosters.

Dean Keener, a former assistant coach at James Madison University and an assistant on Georgia Tech’s 2003-04 national finalist team, was named JMU’s head basketball coach after Doherty rejected the offer.

Tuesday morning Doherty received a call from St. John’s AD Dave Wegrzyn with the news he would not be the choice.

He asked for the chance to speak with the Rev. Donald J. Harrington, but the university president said he hadn’t had the chance to call.

“I don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression, that I am angry or hurt, because I got nothing but positive feelings from the people at St. John’s,” Doherty said. “I was flattered by their interest in me.”

Doherty isn’t the only victim of the St. John’s coaching search and the political warfare it brought out from the factions that backed an assortment of candidates.

There are others — most notably Manhattan’s Bobby Gonzalez and Memphis’ John Calipari — who sustained some damage, whether intended or not.

That Gonzalez was frequently discussed by members of the search committee and not brought in for an interview may have cast doubts in the minds of other administrations that considered him for their posts.

And Calipari, whose inclusion as a candidate had dredged up ancient stories about questionable recruiting tactics, had his character examined in a very public manner.

Harrington said each of them had serious merits, but bringing in all the candidates was never part of the process.

“I was honored St. John’s considered me,” Doherty told CBS Sportsline. “I respect Father Harrington and the people at St. John’s, and I wish it was me, and it’s not. I’ll just move forward.”